The Top 10 US States for LEED Certified Construction in 2018

via USGBC

via USGBC

The USGBC recently released their 2018 ranking of the Top 10 US States for LEED construction, which is sorted by Gross Square Footage per Capita.  That ranking system allows them to get a fair comparison of states, despite differences in population and number of buildings.

“Over the past 25 years, the U.S. Green Building Council, its member companies and the green building community have come together to make our planet stronger, greener and more sustainable through LEED,” said Mahesh Ramanujam, president and CEO, USGBC, in a press release. “These Top 10 states are examples of how we can create lasting, measurable change and improve the quality of life for everyone in our communities. A better future requires a universal living standard that leaves no one behind—and that future would simply not be possible without the extraordinary work being done in these states.”

The 2018 list showed some significant growth for LEED buildings in many of the states over 2017’s Top 10 list.  For example, Illinois added a gross square footage of almost 25 million over 2017, paving the way for it to rank #1. Even New York, which was ranked #2 last year and fell to #4 this year beat its numbers over the previous year, adding an additional 7 million square feet of building and increasing its GSF per capita from 3.39 to 3.76.

Washington and Texas were two new states on the top 10 list this year, replacing Minnesota and Georgia. Illinois supplanted two-time defending champion Massachusetts at the number 1 spot. Minnesota also saw a huge increase in LEED buildings, jumping from #10 last year to #6 this year.

2018 Top 10 States for LEED

10. Maryland

Certified Gross Square Footage (GSF): 16,869,680

Number of Projects: 113

GSF per Capita: 2.92

9. California

Certified Gross Square Footage (GSF): 112,388,968

Number of Projects: 521

GSF per Capita: 3.02

8. Virginia

Certified Gross Square Footage (GSF): 25,348,631

Number of Projects: 136

GSF per Capita: 3.17

7. Hawaii

Certified Gross Square Footage (GSF): 4,504,287

Number of Projects: 20

GSF per Capita: 3.31

6. Colorado

Certified Gross Square Footage (GSF): 17,042,295

Number of Projects: 114

GSF per Capita: 3.39

5. Texas

Certified Gross Square Footage (GSF): 88,404,993

Number of Projects: 277

GSF per Capita: 3.52

4. New York

Certified Gross Square Footage (GSF): 72,881,287

Number of Projects: 214

GSF per Capita: 3.76

3. Washington

Certified Gross Square Footage (GSF): 28,555,753

Number of Projects: 137

GSF per Capita: 4.25

2. Massachusetts

Certified Gross Square Footage (GSF): 34,718,212

Number of Projects: 122

GSF per Capita: 5.3

1. Illinois

Certified Gross Square Footage (GSF): 68,133,942

Number of Projects: 172

GSF per Capita: 5.31

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